1908.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT- -No. 73. 1:11 



towns or States, they would not respond as in the case of a fire; yet 

 the destruction of property by the moths in time is just as sure and just 

 as severety felt as if by fire. 



What would be the action of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 

 and of the other States of the Union if a fire were raging in all the 

 forests of eastern Massachusetts, and, in spite of all that was being done 

 to check it, was holding its own with every prospect that it would 

 escape and spread over the rest of this State and into other States and 

 finally over all of the United States'? This supposed case parallels 

 the present condition of the gypsy moth plague in Massachusetts. 



The work is now carried on chiefly in the residential parts of the 

 infested territory, along the lines of travel and to some extent in the 

 forests; but for the latter work funds have not been sufficient to pre- 

 vent the increasing spread of the insects. If it were a fire running- 

 through the forests and destroying the same amount of property with 

 the same certainty of spreading over the State that there is of the 

 spread of the moths, public opinion would demand that ample appro- 

 priations be made, and that no stone be left unturned to accomplish 

 the stamping out of this destructive pest. 



For the purpose of destroying the gypsy and brown-tail moths, it is 

 necessary first to find the new colonies; and to do this the scouts who 

 are sent out for this purpose should have ample legal authority to enter 

 on private lands whenever circumstances require, with the privilege of 

 searching the forests, orchards, shrubbery, etc., to ascertain whether 

 these moths are present. 



After a careful survey of the work, I regret to say that I do not feel 

 satisfied with the condition of the forest lands. In the residential parts 

 of the territory and along roadsides, where the greatest danger of 

 scattering the caterpillars exists, very commendable progress has been 

 made in nearly all of the cities and towns, but the condition of the for- 

 ests grows more serious yearly. I understand perfectly that this state 

 of affairs exists because there have not been sufficient funds to prose- 

 cute properly the work over the entire infested area, thus making it 

 necessary to neglect the forests in order to suppress the moths along 

 lines of travel and in the residential parts of the infested territory. If 

 the forests had incipient fires in place of these centers of infestation, 

 and every one knew that these fires would spread all over the State and 

 country if they were not stamped out, as surely as we know that the 

 gypsy moth will spread over the country if not checked, public opinion 

 would demand that the Legislature make all necessary appropriations, 

 and further demand that this pest be stamped out in the shortest pos- 

 sible time. 



It is not enough merely to hold this insect in check. The only good, 

 sound business policy is to make actual progress towards extermination, 

 and for this work liberal appropriations are necessary. 



Respectfully submitted, C. H. FERNALD. 



